1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tripod apparatus having universal movement heads associated therewith, and more particularly to guidance apparatus for use by an individual in controlling the tripod head movement through desired angular orientations. The present invention is particularly useful in conjunction with tripods used in tracking or photographing moving objects.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
Tripods are typically used for stabilizing devices such as cameras free of spurious and unintended movements. Probably the most widespread use of tripods is in photography, where tripods are particularly useful in insuring clear and unblurred photographs. Other types of stabilizing apparatus used in photography include handles connected to the camera itself for gripping by the photographer and various body harnesses and supports for stabilizing the camera with respect to a portion of the photographer's body.
Tripod apparatus are generally of two types. The first type is a tripod having a hydraulic fluid-controlled universal movement head. Tripods of this type are typically very expensive and usually used in professional photography situations involving the photography of moving objects. The other type of tripod apparatus is one employing a mechanical friction-controlled universal head. Tripods having mechanical friction-controlled heads are typically relatively inexpensive and are usually used for photographing stationary objects.
Conventional friction-controlled tripod heads are difficult to properly control when photographing moving objects in multiple planes, such as when simultaneously photographing in a panning (horizontal) and tilting (vertical) manner. In general, graceful transitions tend to be traced in exaggerated curves, and smooth continuous arcs tend to be squared-off or jagged. These problems probably result because the short control handle attached to the tripod head allows a wide latitude and potential for rapid exaggerated movement of the tripod head when tracing the path of the moving object. Furthermore, to adequately trace the path of the moving object, the mechanical friction-controlled tripod head must be adjusted to a condition essentially free of friction to avoid inhibiting the movement of the tripod head as the path is traced. The problem of not accurately tracing the curved paths of moving objects is not present in the relatively expensive hydraulic fluid-controlled tripod heads. The hydraulic arrangement of these tripod heads presents sufficient resistance to rapid transitions and spurious movements to secure graceful movement in controlling the camera angle while tracing the path of the moving object.
Another undesirable characteristic of the typical mechanical tripod is that it is relatively unstable in wind and under various other environmental effects. The light weight of the tripod generally accounts for this instability, and the light weight is essentially a function of the tripod's relatively inexpensive cost.
There are certain undesirable features present in most tripods in general. One such undesirable feature is that one hand must grip the control handle extending from the universal movement head, and consequently this hand gripping the control handle is unavailable for use in controlling the camera. In some photography situations, it is necessary or desirable that the photographer have both hands available for controlling the camera as the camera angle is changed while following the path of the moving object. For example, the photographer may wish to adjust the shutter release and focus and lense settings with one hand while simultaneously advancing the film with the other hand. To utilize both hands in controlling the camera while simultaneously changing the camera angle on a tripod head is virtually impossible or at least extremely difficult with a conventional tripod.
Another problem with tripods in general is that the camera is generally limited to approximately a seventy-five degree pan or movement in the horizontal axis. This limitation apparently results from the limited amount of physical body movement attainable by the photographer when operating the tripod in the usual manner. The usual manner of use is for th photographer to simultaneously sight through the eye piece of the camera, grip the control handle and position the hand and gripped control handle adjacent the photographer's chest. In this physical arrangement, the photographer's upper torso cannot pivot significantly from side to side to increase the camera angle since to do so would typically tilt or jar the tripod or change the alignment of the eye, chest and hand with respect to the camera and control handle.
Other limitations and disadvantages of the prior art tripods are known and appreciated, and limited solutions to some of these problems have been achieved. In general, however, the various factors, problems, limitations and disadvantages present in the prior art can be more fully recognized and appreciated in light of the teachings and improvements of the present invention.